Heater structure for packing machine

ABSTRACT

A heater structure mounted on the packing machine to generate heat to thermally fuse a packing paper to a food container, and to seal the food container includes: an insulation member that is arranged on or over the food container; a band-shaped heating wire that is mounted on a lower surface of the insulation member and is connected to an electric wire connected to the power supply unit to generate heat if an electric voltage is applied thereto through the electric wire and to thermally fuse the packing paper to a periphery of the food container; and a connection member that electrically connects the heating wire and the electric wire to each other, the connection member includes: a housing; and a mounting part formed in the housing, and the heating wire and the electric wire are electrically connected to each other by the mounting part.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a heater structure for a packingmachine, and more particularly to a heater structure for a packingmachine that may package a food container by thermally fusing a packingpaper stacked on the food container.

BACKGROUND ART

In general, in restaurants or big department stores, in order to packagefoods and deliver the foods to the consumers, the foods are contained ina disposable food container and then the food container is put into apacking machine to be delivered to the consumers after being packaged.

Korean Patent Application Publication No. 10-2009-0112437 (hereinafter,referred to as ‘the prior art’) discloses a technology for a containersealing apparatus.

The prior art discloses a technology of stacking a packing paper on afood container, and thermally fusing the packing paper to a periphery ofthe food container by using a ring-shaped heating wire.

However, according to the related art, an operation and a structure forfixing the ring-shaped heating wire and connecting the heating wire toan electric wire are complex, and overheating may occur when aconnecting portion of the heating wire and the electric wire is bent.

DISCLOSURE Technical Problem

The present invention has been made in an effort to solve theabove-mentioned problems, and provides a heater structure for a packingmachine that easily connects a heating wire and an electric wire so thata work efficiency may be improved and overheating that may occur at aconnecting portion of the heating wire and the electric wire may beminimized.

Technical Solution

In order to achieve the objects, there is provided a heater structurefor a packing machine that is mounted on the packing machine to generateheat if an electric voltage is applied from a power supply unit thereto,to thermally fuse a packing paper to a food container, and to seal thefood container, the heater structure including: an insulation memberthat is arranged on or over the food container; a band-shaped heatingwire that is mounted on a lower surface of the insulation member and isconnected to an electric wire connected to the power supply unit togenerate heat if an electric voltage is applied thereto through theelectric wire and to thermally fuse the packing paper to a periphery ofthe food container; and a connection member that electrically connectsthe heating wire and the electric wire to each other, the connectionmember includes: a housing; and a mounting part formed in the housing,and the heating wire and the electric wire are electrically connected toeach other by the mounting part.

At least one of the heating wire and the electric wire is detachablycoupled to the mounting part.

The mounting part includes: a mounting hole that passes through theinterior of the housing and into which the heating wire and the electricwire are inserted; and a coupling member that fixes the heating wire andthe electric wire inserted into the mounting hole to the housing.

The coupling member includes a screw that is mounted on the housing, andthe coupling member electrically connects the heating wire and theelectric wire inserted into the mounting hole.

The heating wire includes: a first heating wire that is coupled to alower surface of the insulation member; and a second heating wire thatis coupled to the lower surface of the insulation member and is arrangedon the same plane on which the first heating wire is arranged, firstinsertion parts are bent to extend from opposite ends of the firstheating wire and second insertion parts are bent to extend from oppositeends of the second heating wire, the number of the connection memberscorresponds to the number of the heating wires, and one of the firstinsertion parts and one of the second insertion parts that face eachother are inserted into the mounting hole to be connected to theelectric wire.

The heating wire has one band shape such that a first insertion part anda second insertion part are bent to extend from opposite ends of theheating wire, and the first insertion part and the second insertion partthat face each other are mounted into the mounting hole to beelectrically connected to the electric wire.

The first insertion part and the second insertion part that face eachother contact each other below the insulation member.

Alternatively, the first insertion part and the second insertion partthat face each other are spaced apart from each other below theinsulation member, and the electric wire is electrically connected toboth of the first insertion part and the second insertion part.

The insulation member has a through-hole through which the firstinsertion part and the second insertion part pass, and the firstinsertion part and the second insertion part that passed through thethrough-hole are fixed by the connection member.

The housing is arranged on an upper surface of the insulation member,and the first insertion part and the second insertion part that passedthrough the through-hole is inserted into and fixed to the mounting holearranged above the insulation member.

The housing is arranged in the interior of the through-hole, and thefirst insertion part and the second insertion part are inserted into andfixed to the mounting hole arranged in the interior of the through-hole.

The heater structure further includes: a temperature sensor that ismounted on the connection member; and a control unit that controls thepower supply unit according to a temperature detected by the temperaturesensor, the connection member includes a conductor, and the temperaturesensor detects a temperature of the connection member.

The connection member further includes a cooling fin that protrudes froman outer peripheral surface of the housing.

The heater structure further includes: a cover member of a syntheticresin that is arranged on or over the insulation member and to which theinsulation member is coupled; and a base member that is arranged underthe cover member and having a seating recess in which the food containeris seated, and the housing is fixedly coupled to the cover member.

Advantageous Effects

The heater structure for a packing machine according to the presentinvention has the following effects.

Because the heating wire and the electric wire may be easily connectedto each other by the connection member, a working efficiency such asassembly and exchange may be improved.

Further, when the heating wire includes the first heating wire and thesecond heating wire, the present invention may assemble the firstheating wire and the second heating wire more easily without couplingthe first heating wire and the second wire through welding.

Furthermore, because the heating wire and the electric wire areconnected to each other without being inserted into the connectionmember to be bent, overheating may be prevented at a bending point.

In addition, because the heating wire is inserted into the mounting holeso as not to be exposed to the outside, the heating wire may beprevented from being heated to red heat or being overheated.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a packing machine employing a heateraccording to a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a heater structure according to thefirst embodiment, when the heater structure is viewed from one side;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the heater structure according to thefirst embodiment, when the heater structure is viewed from another side;

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the heater structure accordingto the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line A-A′ of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of a heater structure according to a firstmodification of the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of a heater structure of a secondmodification of the first embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 8 is a sectional view of a heater structure according to a secondembodiment of the present invention.

BEST MODE First Embodiment

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a packing machine employing a heateraccording to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is aperspective view of a heater structure according to the firstembodiment, when the heater structure is viewed from one side. FIG. 3 isa perspective view of the heater structure according to the firstembodiment, when the heater structure is viewed from another side. FIG.4 is an exploded perspective view of the heater structure according tothe first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a sectionalview taken along line A-A′ of FIG. 2. FIG. 6 is a sectional view of aheater structure according to a first modification of the firstembodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is an exploded perspectiveview of a heater structure of a second modification of the firstembodiment of the present invention.

The present invention relates to a heater structure of a packing machinethat is mounted on a packing machine as illustrated in FIG. 1 togenerate heat to thermally seal a packing paper 13 if an electricvoltage is applied to a power supply unit (not illustrated).

As illustrated in FIG. 1, the packing machine, to which the presentinvention may be applied, includes a base member 10 that has a seatingrecess 11 in which a food container 12 is seated, and a cover member 20that is arranged on or over the base member 10 to cover the foodcontainer 12 seated in the seating recess 11.

The heater structure of the present invention is applied to the covermember 20 to thermally fuse to the packing paper 13 of a vinyl material,which is stacked on the food container 12, to the food container 12 tothermally seal the packing paper 13 with the heat generated as theelectric voltage is applied.

As illustrated in FIGS. 2 to 5, the heater structure of the presentinvention includes an insulation member 30, a heating wire 40, and aconnection member 50.

The insulation member 30 is arranged on or over the food container 12.

In more detail, the insulation member 30 is formed of a mica sheet, andis coupled to a lower side of the cover member 20 of a synthetic resin.

The heating wire 40 includes a nickel wire or the like that directlyemits heat if an electric voltage is applied thereto, and has a bandshape.

In the present embodiment, a section of the heating wire 40 has a wideband shape having a horizontal length that is larger than a thicknessthereof.

Unlike the present embodiment, the section of the heating wire 40 may becircular or polygonal.

The heating wire 40 is mounted on a lower surface of the insulationmember 30 and is connected to an electric wire 70 connected to the powersupply unit to emit heat to thermally fuse the packing paper 13 to aperiphery of the food container 12 if an electric voltage is appliedthereto through the electric wire 70.

Further, in the present embodiment, the heating wire 40 includes a firstheating wire 41 and a second heating wire 42, and the first heating wire41 and the second heating wire 42 have substantially stapler shapes, ofwhich open sides are opposite to each other, respectively.

The first heating wire 41 is coupled to a lower surface of theinsulation member 30, and the second heating wire 42 is coupled to alower surface of the insulation member 30 while being arranged on thesame plane on which the first heating wire 41 is arranged.

First insertion parts 43 are bent to extend from opposite ends of thefirst heating wire 41, and second insertion parts 44 are bent to extendfrom opposite ends of the second heating wire 42.

Then, through-holes 31 through which the first insertion parts 43 andthe second insertion parts 44 pass upwards are formed in the insulationmember 30.

Accordingly, most parts of the first heating wire 41 and the secondheating wire 42 are arranged under the insulation member 30, and thefirst insertion parts 43 and the second insertion parts 44 that areformed to be bent upwards pass through the through-holes 31 formed inthe insulation member 30.

The connection member 50 is adapted to electrically connect the heatingwire 40 and the electric wire 70, and may have various structures andshapes.

The connection member 50 may be fixedly coupled to the heating wire 40and the electric wire 70, and may be detachably coupled.

Preferably, the heating wire 40 and the electric wire 70 are detachablycoupled to the connection member 50 for easy assembly or replacement.

In the present embodiment, the connection member 50 includes a housing51 and a mounting part 52.

The housing 51 may include an insulator or a conductor, but it ispreferable that the housing 51 be formed of a conductor, through which acurrent may flow well as in the present embodiment.

In particular, when the housing 51 is formed of a conductor such as ametal, the heat generated by the heating wire 40 may be radiated moreeasily, so that generation of overheat may be minimized.

The housing 51 is arranged on or over the insulation member 30 such thata lower portion of the housing 51 contacts an upper surface of theinsulation member 30, and may be fixedly coupled to the cover member 20through screws or the like.

Because the cover member 20 is fixedly coupled to the housing 51 in thisway, the housing 51 can be prevented from being shaken or separated.

Then, an arrange hole 25 into which the housing 51 may be inserted isformed in the cover member 20.

The mounting part 52 is formed in the housing 51, and the heating wire40 and the electric wire 70 are electrically connected to each other bythe mounting part 52.

The heating wire 40 and the electric wire 70 may contact each other tobe directly connected to each other, and may be indirectly connected toeach other through the mounting part 52.

When the heating wire 40 and the electric wire 70 is indirectlyconnected to each other through the connection member 50, the heatingwire 40 and the electric wire 70 may be electrically connected to eachother as the connection member 50 is formed of a conductor.

The mounting part 52 may have various structures to be formed inside oroutside the housing 51, and in the present embodiment, the mounting part52 includes a mounting hole 53 and a coupling member 54.

The mounting hole 53 vertically passes through the interior of thehousing 51 and is arranged above the through-hole 31, and the heatingwire 40 and the electric wire 70 are inserted into the mounting hole 53.

In more detail, after passing through the through-hole 31, the firstinsertion part 43 and the second insertion part 44 of the heating wire40 are inserted into the mounting hole 53 through a lower side of themounting hole 53 formed in the housing inserted into and arranged in thearrangement hole 25, and the electric wire 70 is inserted into themounting hole 53 through the upper side of the mounting hole 53.

The coupling member 54 functions to fix the heating wire 40 and theelectric wire 70 inserted into the mounting hole 53 to the housing 51 sothat the heating wire 40 and the electric wire 70 may be prevented frombeing separated from the mounting hole 53.

The coupling member 54 may have various shapes and structures, and inthe present embodiment, the coupling member 54 includes a screw that ismounted on the housing 51.

Accordingly, the coupling member 54 including a screw adheres theheating wire 40 and the electric wire 70 inserted into the mounting hole53 to electrically connect the heating wire 40 and the electric wire 70while fixing the heating wire 40 and the electric wire 70 to the housing51.

Of course, according to occasions, the coupling member 54 may adhere theheating wire 40 and the electric wire 70 to the housing 51 separately,and may electrically connect the heating wire 40 and the electric wire70 though the housing 51 of a conductor.

In addition, the connection member 50 may include a known one-touchterminal connector so that once being inserted, the heating wire 40 andthe electric wire 70 may be automatically fixedly coupled to theconnection member 50 to be electrically connected to each other. Theheating wire 40 and the electric wire 70 may be connected to each othermore easily through the structure of the connection member 50.

Further, because the heating wire 40 and the electric wire 70 connectedto each other are vertically connected to each other by the connectionmember 50 so as not to be bent or curved horizontally, overheating thatmay occur at the bending portion may be prevented.

In addition, the first insertion part 43 and the second insertion part44 are fixed by the connection member 50.

In more detail, the first insertion part 43 and the second insertionpart 44 that passed through the through-hole 31 are inserted into themounting hole 53 arranged above the insulation member 30 to be fixedlycoupled to the housing 51 by a pressing force of the coupling member 54.

The number of the connection members 50 corresponds to the number of theheating wires 40, and a first insertion part 43 and a second insertionpart 44 that face each other are inserted into the same mounting hole 53to be connected to the electric wire 70.

In the present embodiment, the heating wire 40 is split into two parts,and accordingly, two connection members 50 are provided.

The first insertion part 43 and the second insertion part 44 contacteach other below the insulation member 30.

In more detail, the bending portion of the first insertion part 43 ofthe first heating wire 41 and the bending portion of the secondinsertion part 44 of the second heating wire 42 may be situated belowthe insulation member 30, and the first heating wire 41 and the secondheating wire 42 are connected to each other by bringing the bendingportions of the first insertion part 43 and the second insertion part 44into contact with each other below the insulation member 30, andaccordingly, the packing paper 13 stacked on or over the food container12 may be thermally fused to a periphery of the food container 12 in ahollow closed curve shape.

Unlike this, the first insertion part 43 and the second insertion part44 that face each other as illustrated in FIG. 6 may be spaced apartfrom each other below the insulation member 30.

In this case, because the first heating wire 41 and the second heatingwire 42 are spaced apart from each other below insulation member 30, thepacking paper 13 stacked on or over the food container 12 may bethermally fused to the periphery of the food container 12 in a hollowopened curve shape instead of a hollow closed curve shape.

Then, the electric wire 70 is electrically connected to both of thefirst insertion part 43 and the second insertion part 44 that are spacedapart from each other, and accordingly, electric power is supplied toboth of the first heating wire 41 and the second heating wire 42.

A method for electrically connecting the electric wire 70 to the firstheating wire 41 and the second heating wire 42 may include a method fordirectly connecting the first insertion part 43 and the second insertionpart 44 to the electric wire 70 as illustrated in (a) of FIG. 6 and amethod for electrically connecting the first insertion part 43 and thesecond insertion part 44 through the housing 51 of a conductive materialas illustrated in (b) of FIG. 6.

Further, the connection member 50 further includes a cooling fin 55 thatprotrudes from an outer peripheral surface of the housing 51.

Heat generated by an electric current flowing through the heating wire40 and the electric wire 70 may be dissipated to the outside more easilyby the cooling fin 55.

Further, according to the present invention, because the first heatingwire 41 and the second heating wire 42 are coupled to each other throughthe connection member 50 without being welded to each other, they may beeasily assembled.

In particular, because the heating wire 40 and the electric wire 70 maybe detachably coupled to the connection member 50, they may be not onlyeasily assembled but also may be easily repaired.

Meanwhile, the present invention may further include a temperaturesensor 56 and a control unit 60.

The temperature sensor 56 is mounted on the connection member 50 todetect a temperature of the connection member 50.

To achieve this, the connection member 50 includes a conductor.

In more detail, the temperature sensor 56 is mounted on the housing 51to detect a temperature of the housing 51 including a conductor.

The control unit 60 controls the switching-on/off of the power supplyunit, according to the temperature of the connection member 50 thatdetected the temperature sensor 56.

The heating wire 40 may be prevented from being overheated, causing afire, by the temperature sensor 56 and the control unit 60.

As illustrated in FIG. 7, the heating wire 40 may have one band shape.

Then, the first insertion part 43 and the second insertion part 44 arebent to extend from opposite ends of the heating wire 40, and the firstinsertion part 43 and the second insertion part 44 that face each otherare inserted into the mounting hole 53 to be connected to the electricwire 70.

In this case, the first insertion part 43 and the second insertion part44 may be inserted into the same connection member 50 and may beinserted into separation connection members 50, and it is preferablethat the first insertion part 43 and the second insertion part 44 bespaced apart from each other such that an applied current flows to thefirst insertion part 43 and the second insertion part 44.

Then, it is preferable that the housing 51 include an insulator suchthat the first insertion part 43 and the second insertion part 44 arenot electrically connected to each other.

According to the heater structure of the present invention, the heatingwire 40 may be assembled more easily, only the heating wire 40 may beeasily replaced when the heating wire 40 is damaged, and overheating maybe prevented as the connecting portion of the heating wire 40 and theelectric wire 70 are connected to each other without being bent by theconnection member 50.

Second Embodiment

FIG. 8 is a sectional view of a heater structure according to a secondembodiment of the present invention.

As illustrated in FIG. 8, the heater structure of the second embodimentincludes an insulation member 30, a heating wire 40, and a connectionmember 50.

A through-hole 31 is formed in the insulation member 30, and the housing51 constituting the connection member 50 is arranged in the through-hole31.

To achieve this, the size of the through-hole 31 is equal to or slightlylarger than the size of the housing 51.

Further, an arrangement hole 25, into which the housing 51 may beinserted to be arranged, is formed in the cover member 20.

The first insertion part 43 and the second insertion part 44 is insertedinto and fixed to the mounting hole 53 arranged in the through-hole 31.

Due to the above-described structure, the housing 51 may be supported inthe through-hole 31 without being horizontally shaken by the insulationmember 30.

The other items are the same as or similar to those of the firstembodiment, and a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

The heater structure for a packing machine according to the presentinvention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and may bevariously modified without departing from the technical spirit of thepresent invention.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The heater structure for a packing machine according to the presentinvention may be applied to a packing machine.

1. A heater structure for a packing machine that is mounted on thepacking machine to generate heat if an electric voltage is applied froma power supply unit thereto, to thermally fuse a packing paper to a foodcontainer, and to seal the food container, the heater structurecomprising: an insulation member that is arranged on or over the foodcontainer; a band-shaped heating wire that is mounted on a lower surfaceof the insulation member and is connected to an electric wire connectedto the power supply unit to generate heat if an electric voltage isapplied thereto through the electric wire and to thermally fuse thepacking paper to a periphery of the food container; and a connectionmember that electrically connects the heating wire and the electric wireto each other, wherein the connection member comprises: a housing; and amounting part formed in the housing, and wherein the heating wire andthe electric wire are electrically connected to each other by themounting part.
 2. The heater structure of claim 1, wherein at least oneof the heating wire and the electric wire is detachably coupled to themounting part.
 3. The heater structure of claim 1, wherein the mountingpart comprises: a mounting hole that passes through the interior of thehousing and into which the heating wire and the electric wire areinserted; and a coupling member that fixes the heating wire and theelectric wire inserted into the mounting hole to the housing.
 4. Theheater structure of claim 3, wherein the coupling member comprises ascrew that is mounted on the housing, and the coupling memberelectrically connects the heating wire and the electric wire insertedinto the mounting hole.
 5. The heater structure of claim 3, wherein theheating wire comprises: a first heating wire that is coupled to a lowersurface of the insulation member; and a second heating wire that iscoupled to the lower surface of the insulation member and is arranged onthe same plane on which the first heating wire is arranged, whereinfirst insertion parts are bent to extend from opposite ends of the firstheating wire and second insertion parts are bent to extend from oppositeends of the second heating wire, wherein the number of the connectionmembers corresponds to the number of the heating wires, and wherein oneof the first insertion parts and one of the second insertion parts thatface each other are inserted into the mounting hole to be connected tothe electric wire.
 6. The heater structure of claim 3, wherein theheating wire has one band shape such that a first insertion part and asecond insertion part are bent to extend from opposite ends of theheating wire, and wherein the first insertion part and the secondinsertion part that face each other are mounted into the mounting holeto be electrically connected to the electric wire.
 7. The heaterstructure of claim 5, wherein the first insertion part and the secondinsertion part that face each other contact each other below theinsulation member.
 8. The heater structure of claim 5, wherein the firstinsertion part and the second insertion part that face each other arespaced apart from each other below the insulation member, and whereinthe electric wire is electrically connected to both of the firstinsertion part and the second insertion part.
 9. The heater structure ofclaim 5, wherein the insulation member has a through-hole through whichthe first insertion part and the second insertion part pass, and whereinthe first insertion part and the second insertion part that passedthrough the through-hole are fixed by the connection member.
 10. Theheater structure of claim 9, wherein the housing is arranged on an uppersurface of the insulation member, and the first insertion part and thesecond insertion part that passed through the through-hole is insertedinto and fixed to the mounting hole arranged above the insulationmember.
 11. The heater structure of claim 9, wherein the housing isarranged in the interior of the through-hole, and wherein the firstinsertion part and the second insertion part are inserted into and fixedto the mounting hole arranged in the interior of the through-hole. 12.The heater structure of claim 1, further comprising: a temperaturesensor that is mounted on the connection member; and a control unit thatcontrols the power supply unit according to a temperature detected bythe temperature sensor, wherein the connection member comprises aconductor, and wherein the temperature sensor detects a temperature ofthe connection member.
 13. The heater structure of claim 3, wherein theconnection member further comprises a cooling fin that protrudes from anouter peripheral surface of the housing.
 14. The heater structure ofclaim 3, further comprising: a cover member of a synthetic resin that isarranged on or over the insulation member and to which the insulationmember is coupled; and a base member that is arranged under the covermember and having a seating recess in which the food container isseated, wherein the housing is fixedly coupled to the cover member. 15.The heater structure of claim 6, wherein the first insertion part andthe second insertion part that face each other contact each other belowthe insulation member.
 16. The heater structure of claim 6, wherein thefirst insertion part and the second insertion part that face each otherare spaced apart from each other below the insulation member, andwherein the electric wire is electrically connected to both of the firstinsertion part and the second insertion part.
 17. The heater structureof claim 6, wherein the insulation member has a through-hole throughwhich the first insertion part and the second insertion part pass, andwherein the first insertion part and the second insertion part thatpassed through the through-hole are fixed by the connection member. 18.The heater structure of claim 17, wherein the housing is arranged on anupper surface of the insulation member, and the first insertion part andthe second insertion part that passed through the through-hole isinserted into and fixed to the mounting hole arranged above theinsulation member.
 19. The heater structure of claim 17, wherein thehousing is arranged in the interior of the through-hole, and wherein thefirst insertion part and the second insertion part are inserted into andfixed to the mounting hole arranged in the interior of the through-hole.